AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES. MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Updated 9 February 2021

Genus Xanthodisca Aurivillius, [1925] Yellow Discs

In Seitz, [1908-25]. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde, Stuttgart (2) 13 Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter: 528 (614 pp.). Type-species: Astictopterus vibius Hewitson, by monotypy.

The genus Xanthodisca belongs to the Family Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809; Subfamily Hesperiinae Latreille, 1809, Tribe Hesperiini Latreille, 1809. Other genera in the Tribe Hesperiini, are Lepella, Prosopalpus, Kedestes, Fulda, Gorgyra, Gyrogra, Teniorhinus, Flandria, Hollandus, Tsitana, Acada, Rhabdomantis, Osmodes, Parosmodes, Osphantes, Acleros, Paracleros, Semalea, Hypoleucis, Paronymus, Andronymus, Malaza, Perrotia, Ploetzia, Moltena, Chondrolepis, Zophopetes, Gamia, Artitropa, Mopala, Pteroteinon, Leona, Caenides, Monza, Melphina, Melphinyet, Noctulana, Fresna, and Platylesches.

Xanthodisca (Yellow Discs) is an Afrotropical genus of three species.

*Xanthodisca ariel (Mabille, 1878) Malagasy Yellow Disc

Pamphila ariel Mabille, 1878. Petites Nouvelles Entomologiques 2: 285 (285). Pardaleodes ariel (Mabille, 1878). Holland, 1896. Xanthodisca ariel (Mabille, 1878). Evans, 1937.

Xanthodisca ariel. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Ranamofana, Madagascar. January 2015. H.S. Staude. ABRI-2019-2510. Images M.C. Williams ex ABRI Collection.

Type locality: Madagascar. The holotype, in the Natural History Museum, London, bears no locality label. Viette (1956) implies that it originated from Nosy Be. Taxonomy: Distribution: Madagascar. Specific localities: Madagascar – A forest relict 2 km east of Ambohipo in the vicinity of Ranomafana (Ifanadiana) (C. Kremen, October 1992, vide Lees et al. (2003)). Habitat: Forest (Lees et al., 2003). Habits: An apparently very rare butterfly. Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. 1

*Xanthodisca rega (Mabille, 1889) Western Yellow Disc

Pamphila rega Mabille, 1889. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France (6) 9: 150 (149-150, 155-156, 167-169, 183- 184). Xanthodisca rega (Mabille, 1889). Aurivillius, 1925. Xanthodisca vibius rega (Mabille, 1889). Evans, 1937. Xanthodisca rega (Mabille, 1889). Carcasson, 1981.

Xanthodisca rega. Male (Wingspan 25 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Biakpa Mountain Paradise, Ghana. 24 November 2011. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson Collection.

Xanthodisca rega. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Mate, eastern Ghana. October 2010. RV, SY. ABRI-2019-2434. Images M.C. Willisms ex ABRI Collection.

Type locality: Sierra Leone: “Sierra-Leone”. Distribution: Senegal, Guinea-Bissau (Larsen, 2005a), Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin (south, central), Nigeria, Cameroon, ? Gabon. Specific localities: Senegal – Basse Casamance (Larsen, 2005a). Guinea – Ziama (Safian et al., 2020). Liberia – Wologizi (Safian et al., 2020). Ivory Coast – Lamto (Vuattoux, 1999). Ghana – Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2009). Benin – see Coache et al., 2017. Nigeria – Obudu (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Ogove (Holland, 1896). Habitat: Both wet and dry forests, as well as secondary growth (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: Not a particularly common skipper, with an apparently patchy distribution pattern (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages:

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Cock et al., 2016: 221

Larval food: Aframomum cereum (Hook. f.) K. Schum. (Zingiberaceae) [Vuattoux, 1999; Lamto, Ivory Coast; as A. sceptrum (Oliv. & D.Hanb.) K.Schum.].

Note: The populations in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau and the dry parts of Guinea may deserve subspecific status (Larsen, 2005a).

staudingeri Holland, 1896 (as sp. of Osmodes). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 42 (2-107). Gabon: “Valley of the Ogové”.

sierrae Holland, 1896 (as sp. of Pardaleodes). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 78 (2-107). Sierra Leone. Moved to Xanthodisca by Aurivillius, 1925.

evansi Picard, 1949 (as f. of Xanthodisca vibius rega). Revue Française d’Entomologie 16: 150 (147- 152). Sierra Leone.

*Xanthodisca vibius (Hewitson, 1878) Golden Yellow Disc

Astictopterus vibius Hewitson, 1878. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (5) 1: 343 (340-348). Pardaleodes vibius (Hewitson, 1878). Holland, 1896. Xanthodisca vibius (Hewitson, 1878). Aurivillius, 1925. Xanthodisca vibius (Hewitson, 1878). Pringle et al., 1994: 327.

Xanthodisca vibius. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Zambezi Bridge, Ikelenge, Zambia. 19 June 2007. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection.

Xanthodisca vibius. Female. Left – upperside; right – underside. Ikelenge, Zambia. March 1977. A. Heath. ABRI-2019-2432. Images M.C. Willisms ex ABRI Collection.

Alternative common name: Vibius Orange. 3 Type locality: Gabon: “Gaboon”. Distribution: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (east), Malawi, Zambia (north-west and north-east), Zimbabwe (single record – Gweru). Recorded, in error, from Ivory Coast by Berger, 1962 (Larsen, 2005a). Also recorded in error from West Africa by Larsen, 1991c. Specific localities: Gabon – Nouna (Vande Weghe, 2010); Crystal Mountains (Vande Weghe, 2010); Lake Evaro (Vande Weghe, 2010); Iguela (Vande Weghe, 2010); Gamba (Vande Weghe, 2010); Waka National Park (Vande Weghe, 2010). Democratic Republic of Congo – Ituri Forest (Ducarme, 2018); Mt Mitumba (Ducarme, 2018). Kenya – Kakamega (M. Clifton, vide Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Kigoma (Kielland, 1990d); Dodoma (Kielland, 1990d); Uluguru Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Mwanihana Forest (Kielland, 1990d); Mikumi National Park (Kielland, 1990d); Rondo Plateau (Kielland, 1990d); Kihansi (Cock et al., 2016). Malawi – Utsara, Nkhata Bay (male specimen illustrated above). Zambia – Ikelenge (Heath et al., 2002); Mwinilunga (Heath et al., 2002); Kawambwa (Heath et al., 2002); Kalungwishi River (Heath et al., 2002). Zimbabwe – Gweru (Buchanan, 1985; single record). Habitat: Forest and moist dense woodland, especially Brachystegia woodland (Pringle et al., 1994). In Tanzania in forest, from 500 to 1 700 m (Kielland, 1990d). Habits: Found mainly on the edges of forests. Also flies in denser parts of the forest where males have aerial contests in the semi-shade of the forest canopy (Kielland, 1990d). It is known to mud-puddle (Pringle et al., 1994). Both sexes come to feed in open places (Larsen, 1991c). Flight period: January to May (Pringle et al., 1994). Early stages:

Cock et al., 2016: 219

Larval food: Aframomum species (Zingiberaceae) [Kielland, 1990d: 243; Tanzania; as Amomum sp.]. Aframomum zambesiacum (Baker) K. Schum. zambesiacum (Zingiberaceae) [Cock et al., 2016; Kakamega, Kenya]. Amomum sp. [Le Pelley, 1959; Uganda; probably a misspelling for Afromomum].

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